STACK #135 Jan 2016

NEWS MUSIC

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D id you know it's impossible to hear all of the music in all of the land? You'll drive yourself up the wall if you attempt it, and that's why it is clever to sometimes let other people do the niche digging for you. Our truly brilliant genre reviewers – those blessed names you see beside album write-ups in the latter pages of STACK 's music section – have chosen their top two releases of the year on page 58, and it's there you should start if you think you might be behind the Magic 8 Ball. ("Am I musically informed?" "Outlook not so good.") It's also our final farewell to the amazing Doug Wallen, who has contributed his skilled ear and excellent writing to us for many a moon. Thank you and best of luck, Doug. Zo ë Radas (Music Editor)

Doug's #1 for 2015, DeafWish

On My Speakers

Aoife O'Donovan In the Magic Hour

Lanu The Double Sunrise

Cage The Elephant Tell Me I'm Pretty

Basement Promise Everything

THE BESNARD LAKES L uscious and dense, A Coliseum Complex Museum is just as carefully

SAVAGES

MUSIC

crafted as its title suggests. It's The Besnard Lakes' fifth album (and their fourth with Jagjaguwar), and contains all the typically stunning, eclectic, ethereal rock for which this band have become critically acclaimed. There's a renewed sense of ambition and joy to the group too, which will revive any latent love and probably snare them a new crowd of fans as well.

W hat is Savages' Adore Life ? "It’s about change and the power to change," the four-piece write. "It’s about metamorphosis and evolution. It’s about sticking to your guns and toughing it out. It’s about now, not tomorrow... But most of all it’s about love, every kind of love. Love is the answer." These indomitable post-punk revivalists couldn't have known the words would come to have triple-fold meaning after the horrendous November Paris attacks,

A Coliseum Complex Museum by Besnard Lakes is out January 22 through Jagjaguwar/Inertia

but the timing with which these four women had chosen to reaffirm their belief in life isn't lost on them. While Adore Life doesn't include the band's live cover of Eagles of Death Metal's I Love You All the Time – the publishing proceeds of which went to victims of the Paris attacks, and video of which you can find online with French-born lead singer Jehnny Beth explaining the project

HINDS

A s if you don't want to hang out with HINDS, the kooky garage foursome from Mexico. Our Simon says their debut Leave Me Alone is a "vivid portrait of modern life and love viewed through a faintly nostalgic, psychedelic lens," which is definitely true, but we'd also like to join them at the beach for some tins.

Leave Me Alone by HINDS is out January 8 through Inertia

to the heaving crowd – the message remains. Adore Life careens all over the joint in perfect shameless abandon, with "shotgun drumming and break-beat grooves" (see Chris Murray's review on page 66). If you're not on board already, it's time to hop the Savages train. Adore Life by Savages

is out January 22 through Matador/Remote Control

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